CONTENTS
I
BEGINNING WITH A GOODBYE
II
FIRST STEPS
17
III
FIRST AUDITIONS
29
IV
HOMECOMINGS
41
V
SACRIFICE
57
VI
PARTNERSHIP
71
VII
HIGHLIGHTS
85
VIII
THE BODY
133
IX
SEXUALITY
149
X
DEDICATION
161
XI
PLAYING THE GAME
173
XII
FINDING A FAREWELL
189
9
–6–
–7–
I
‘Ballet is energy and energy is life.’ Laura Jacobs
BEGINNING W I T H
A
G O O D B Y E
–9–
– 100 –
Spartacus by Yuri Grigorovich, 2017 – 101 –
– 102 –
Spartacus by Yuri Grigorovich, 2017 – 103 –
COLOPHON
DANCER
Wim Vanlessen AUTHORS
Michael James Gardner Wim Vanlessen COPY-EDITING
Patrick Lennon IMAGE CONSULTANT
Ingrid Deuss GRAPHIC DESIGN
Paul Boudens PROJECT COORDINATION
Ingrid Deuss Jenke Van den Akkerveken PRINTING
die Keure, Bruges BINDING
Brepols, Turnhout
ISBN 978 94 9267 773 0 D/2018/11922/39 NUR 675
Š Hannibal Publishing, 2019 Hannibal Publishing is part of Cannibal Publishing www.hannibalpublishing.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders for all texts, photographs and reproductions. If, however, you feel that you have inadvertently been overlooked, please contact the image consultant.